Whelan wins at Yreka Elks Invitational

Monday

Sep 10, 2012 at 10:03 AMSep 10, 2012 at 10:28 AM

Bill Choy

Yreka and Etna High fared well at the Yreka Elks Invitational cross country meet at Lower Greenhorn Park on Friday. Facing elite teams, the Miner varsity boys, the defending Division 4 state champions, took second overall behind Shasta of Redding. Senior John Whelan of Etna High had the crowd assembled loudly cheering him on as he took first place by a wide margin with a time of 16:08.08. The second place finisher, Blake Zufall of Shasta, finished with a time 17:03.44 Last year, Whelan took third at the race. He said it was an amazing feeling to come away with the victory as a senior. "It's just a really awesome way to start he season," Whelan said. A few weeks back, as his senior project, Whelan put on the Mountain Madness race at Etna High to give area runners a chance to run before the year officially began. Whelan, who won the NSCIF championships last year and took 7th in state in his Division 5 is hopeful to steadly improve this season and have another strong season. For the Yreka boys, junior Clayton Bunn took sixth place with a time of 17:23.51. Teammate David Neill, also a junior, was right behind in seventh place with a time of 17:25.21. Yreka sophomore Matt Jochim came in ninth place with a time of 17:44.47. The Miner girls varsity team took fourth place. The top Yreka finisher was sophomore Corina Lange, who came in 11th place. For complete results from the meet, which included elementary, middle school, freshman and JV races, go to www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/Results/Meet.aspx?Meet=57280#660.